Zaki's story
by GloomingDarkLove
Summary: I coudlnt stay in home anymore, I was tired of waiting for a father that never came to know me, of a mother that prefered to be with her boyfriend rather than with me. I would chnage my name while being away but when I return to my name I'll just be another orphan, nothing new on that. I never imagined, I woudl be able to help the new Avatar or enjoy life in a new way.
1. Beggining of a new life

**Authors Note: hey, this is a story I came up with a while ago and finally decided to try publish it and see the reaction I got from people. I know I won't have much people reading it as it's an OC based story but it's worth the try. Also for people who quickly find out who am I talking about please refrain from leaving me reviews saying that her true name is "Honora" and that what I wrote never happened. I wrote this before we even knew for sure the name, and simply found this more interesting at certain points than the normal life one would have in the palace. If you don't like that I changed the name for my story, or how I'm telling the story I would have liked to happen then leave NOW and simply DON'T READ. No flames also. If you like it let me know, please. **

**For anyone who might want to see part of what happened so far in her life I'll put a link to a forum I'm part of where I play her. If any wants to join you're more than welcome to, the admin and I are looking for new ideas and people.**

**Forum: forum/What-if-Avatar-Three-Generations/151251/ **

As I looked back to what had been my home for the past 8 years I couldn't help but let some small doubts to begin forming in my mind concerning the plan I had created during the pass of months. As always I had arisen with the sun, at least an hour or so before my mother, which gave me enough time right now to put my plan in motion. I knew that as soon as the boat sailed there would be no way back as I'll be in my way towards the Earth Kingdom and towards a totally new life for me.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my mom but I wanted more than what she could offer me and my wish to see the world on my own instead of always staying at home, looking out the window, waiting in vain for my father to come home as my mother always told me he would- yet never arrived, or if he ever did he spent the night with my mother and didn't even care to say "hi" to me or wake me up for me to meet him-. Over the years I had just kinda accepted the fact that I didn't have a father and my mom was lying to me about it, but all I could get out about him was that he was a fire bender, seeing as my mother couldn't bend, other than that I was clueless about who he was. I had gotten tired also of staying at home while my mom went off doing who knows what on who knows where with her boyfriend- yes I knew she had a boyfriend as I once kinda followed her-, endless hours of doing nothing. Though sometimes I sneaked out and went to the tea house getting some tea to drink when I was feeling too stressed about my plan or mad about my mom who once again hadn't been home most of the day. There I met an old man that always smiled at me and sometimes paid me another cup of tea when I went there and ran out of money, I'm not fully sure of his name but he cared for me in a way I wasn't used to, and it felt nice. He taught me how to play a game I can't remember the name but had trouble trying to pronounce it. He might be the only person I'll fully miss when I leave for good.

My train of thoughts is interrupted by the man who owns the boat "Hey kid, we're sailing now. Get inside before you fall down in the sea" I only nod, taking one last glance at my home before going further into the boat and sitting down, watching as slowly the Fire Nation became smaller and smaller, up to the point I couldn't see it anymore. Judging by the position of the sun my mother might be waking up in around an hour or so, and when she went to check on me she would get a bad surprise as I won't be in my bed, just a small note I wrote to her in hopes of letting her understand what I wanted and why I left:

_Mom,  
I'm sorry that you have to read this but had I told you in person I would have never been able to leave. I love you, but I want much more than I can get here. I want to see the world on my own, and do things I never imagined I'd be able to do. I only wished I could have known who my father was before leaving but you never wanted to talk about that so it'll remain a secret for me, and also that you had stopped lying about him coming home at night as I knew it would never happen. Can't tell you where I'm going but I know I'll be fine, don't worry for me. You teached me well how to defend myself using the knives and I got enough money to last. _

_Wish you a good life even if it's without me,_

_Zaki._

A little direct I know and considering I was 8, she would surely have a fit when she knows I'm gone but it's for the best. I have a good feeling about all this and don't think I'll have that bad life in my new "home". Obviously I'll need to change my name for a while in case anyone ends up out there looking for me –which I doubt but better safe than sorry-, but I got that covered and I'll also try see that if I ever get to go to Republic City I can find a good fire bending teacher to show me how to use my own bending.

For now I just laid down and watched as the man made sure everything was okay in the boat, counting the minutes till we arrived approximately to open ocean and moved more quickly as we wouldn't have any current to block us. In times like this I wish I could go back to sleep after waking up, but I wasn't tired enough for it so that was out of question to spend the time. To try not die of boredom I checked through my things again, holding in my palm one of the many small knives my mom said she used while she helped her friend Azula try capture the Avatar, it might be something people wouldn't be proud of but she was at some point and kept the knives. I took them with me as a small reminder of her and to defend myself in case it was needed as I couldn't count on my bending to help me on it. Guess for now I'll just stare out the ocean and see what I can do to pass the time, it'll be a good couple days before we reached the Earth Kingdom and then another few days before I got to my destination. But I never imagined that I'd get so far in my life as I would do when growing up, yet I wouldn't change a thing.


	2. New Family on Earth Kingdom

**Authors Note: Hey, it's me again. It's been a while I posted the first chapter and got a good review which makes me feel great and with joy of continuing this. I'm very harsh on myself and tend to delete my stories after a while (sorry for those who liked them and I deleted them) cause I think none of you enjoy them. So please if you read it and like it review! Even if it's just one word like "Great" or something like that. I accept constructive criticism but not flames please. As always I own nothing except maybe Zaki as she's my version of a cannon character, but I don't own ATLA nor any characters from ALOK I use.**

* * *

Somehow time passed quickly and soon enough the Earth Kingdom was in the horizon, standing in all its glory before us with its lights visible even in the dark night. I had been fighting off sleep for over an hour now as I wanted to see what would become my new home for a couple of years before I was able to set off to Republic City myself without needing to be taken care off and had money to keep myself alright. The back of my mind wondered what might my mother be doing right now but I didn't let that thought take full importance as I was in awe with the sight before me. Finally yawning once more I go forward in the boat and lay down on my made up bed, smiling and drifting off to sleep knowing what would hold the day for tomorrow.

After waking up at the break of dawn as always I looked at the coast line that looked bigger now that we were closer but still with at least 2 hours before we reached land and could disembark. I sat down in my bed admiring how different this place looked like to the type of buildings and things I had gotten used to seeing during my short life in the Fire Nation, hoping that life in here would be good for me –at least better than what it had been so far- and allow me to find what I wanted to accomplish my goal for the future.

When finally reaching the coastline I thanked again the owner of the boat that took me all the way here from the Fire Nation and made my way into the city. Obviously I stuck out a bit too much as I had my typical red clothes on that were too flashy compared to the green/gold ones I saw everywhere.

I wasn't sure where to go on from here as I would need someplace to stay for a good couple of years or at least for the night and where I could get food. Thankfully I didn't have to ponder it too much as one lady approached me and kneeled down to my level

"Hey sweetie, are you lost?"

Usually I would have made a remark at the nickname she used but gulped it down and put on my most innocent face looking at her. "Kinda, I don't have parents and no home here. "

She smiled sadly and took my hand standing up again and beginning to walk with me while she said "well you can stay with me and my family. My husband and I own a small tea shop in Omashu but we're on vacation here with our 2 kids. I'm sure they'll love having you as a new member of our family. What's your name by the way dear?"

I couldn't believe my luck so far seeing I haven't been on this place for 15 min and I already had found someone who would take me in. Obviously I had to think quickly about a name seeing I couldn't give her my real name so I went for my second one hoping it was common enough in here so it wouldn't stand out. "My name's Mia, and thank you so much"

"It's no problem, now come for we have a lot to show you now that you'll be part of our family." She smiled again down at me and at some point even picked me up when the street we were on got too crowded and only let me down when we got to what I suppose might be a sort of "vacation house" and opened the door letting me go in first while she called out for who I suppose must've been her husband.

I smiled trying to make a good impression on them and not be left out on the streets as this was by far the best opportunity she would get in this Nation she knew very little of. On the background she could hear the woman explaining everything to a man, and then two faces that peered curiously from behind a wall at her. She wasn't too sure about ages but one was a boy that might have been around 9 and a little girl of around 6, so if she stayed in this house she'd be the middle child, and mostly new to her: have siblings.

The faces disappeared when the woman came back smiling and motioned for me to come forward and introduced me to her husband and also to the kids that had been looking at me, then hugged me and welcomed me to their family. I smiled happy that I wouldn't have to fend for myself, but a sad thought crossed my mind: while I was happy here my mom was probably worried sick about me and maybe even crying as I had seen her do only once.

That night while laying down on my new bed I looked out the window and towards the sky letting a few tears fall down while remembering my mom, and I promised myself that I would never forget her no matter how well this new family treated me, I would always miss her no matter what. Before going to sleep I whispered into the wind: "love you mommy, sorry I left. Hope you get a happy life"


	3. Work Day and surprise at the end

**Authors Note: Hey, it's me again. It's been a LONG while since I updated and the only excuse I got is school driving me mad most of the times, a few fights with friends from FF that kept my mood down, and my usual writer's block as I know where I want to get but writing it down without it happening too fast is difficult. As always I own nothing except maybe Zaki as she's my version of a cannon character, but I don't own ATLA nor any characters from ALOK I use. One thing I might plan on doing is adding Izumi but I'm still not sure how to add her to the plot but I know that obviously in the story someone will need to be firelord after Zuko. Anyone who has an idea for it please tell me.**

_3 years later_

"Mia please stay still or I'll end up hurting you more! I already tugged enough on your hair and last I want is for your head to hurt later today due to it. Plus we're still missing putting on the few make-up you need to use"

With a sigh I pout and stay still in my chair, letting my new mother continue her work on my hair as it needed to be up in two buns and as I barely had enough hair for doing it, it was a challenge for my mom. That added to the fact I was tired of staying still for almost 5 minutes straight didn't help; yeah I wasn't a person with much patience so I got tired quickly. Plus the idea of having my face painted didn't make me feel better as it was something I didn't fancy but knew now that I would need to face it as it was something normal here in the Earth Kingdom: .luck.

Finally after what seemed ages for me I was standing up in front of the mirror looking at my face trying to find out myself as it seemed like a totally different girl was looking back at me. My black hair was pulled up in two buns that added some weight to it, my usual kinda pale face was now with a bit more of color, I had eye-shadow and lipstick, plus "pink" cheeks. I was wearing a green "kimono" with golden touches (sorry, don't know how else to describe what they use in the Earth Kingdom so I'll keep it like kimono :P ) that wasn't really comfortable to move in and I wouldn't use it if I was given the chance). Honestly, I hated it. But as it was something usual and I had to help my family in the tea shop today and according to mom it would make me look pretty and make people stay more, I tolerated it and just hoped that after that I could take off all this.

"Oh dear you look so pretty, what do you think Ratna?" my new mother smiled and aww'ed softly at me, looking towards her husband hoping he would say I looked pretty also. "She looks very well Ekta, think she'll be of much help in the tea shop and people will stay more to see her"

While they were saying this my older brother Nidhi came up to me and looked at me with an amused smile, as if guessing my thoughts and feeling lucky that he didn't have to help in the tea shop as he was having private lessons to learn earth bending. I simply stuck out my tongue at him and glared playfully, to then burst out laughing along with him, all this while our parents looked at us as if we were crazy and then hushed us to lower the voice to not wake up Anju, our younger sister as she was sleeping. She was lucky also, she wouldn't help in the tea shop until she was my age, 11 years old, and she was missing 2-3 years for it. She used the green "kimonos" also, but as she was still free to play they were much comfortable and loose.

"Alright you two, cut it. We gotta go to the tea shop for the rush hour and serve all we can taking advantage that the other tea shop in the street is closed right now. It's a good opportunity to get new people that play Pai-Sho _**(is that the name of the game Iroh loves to play? Did I spell it right?)**_ in the shop to stop by and play and maybe drink a cup or two of tea. Mia I hope you're in your best behavior and helps us in all we can, oh and no using your fire for heating up the tea. That's kinda cheating and you don't want anyone suspecting where are you from really as you know some people don't accept it" She then turns to my brother "And Nidhi, I hope you do your best also at your lessons and don't give a hard time to the master, please."

"Yeah mom don't worry. I'll be doing all you need me to in the shop." I said this at the same time by brother said "Alright mom, will do". Seeing we synched we both began laughing again, only to be hushed but now by our father. We muffled our laughs with our hands until we stopped fully and grinned to each other. In general, we had bonded together easily as I was more of a tomboy and he was glad to have someone that would run around and play "fights" with him without caring if I would get my hair dirty or things like that. I didn't bond that much with my other sister but I guess it was cause she was more the shy, quiet type and preferred to follow along what our mom told her concerning how to be a "lady", though she was always there to help us in things we might need.

Along with my parents we left the house and began heading towards the tea shop, coming inside from a side door finding the employers already preparing everything and making space for the tables that would be used for the game of Pai-Sho. I looked at them, remembering the few games she played with the old man back at her home, never learning much except a few moves. "This should be interesting" I thought, watching the tables fondly to then follow my parents inside the kitchen while they checked that everything was in order, and then remembering what I would do

"When they are small orders of tea we'll give them to you and tell you which table asked for it. If they are bigger we'll help you go give them to the respective table, okay?" I nodded, saying I understood and went to the door, as it was my duty right now to greet the people and give them the small menu of tea we had.

After just a couple minutes people began coming in and some of the ladies aww'ed at me and told me sweet things, patting my head smiling, and always calling me as "sweetie". It was irritating for me as it wasn't something I enjoyed but for my parents sake I tolerated it and smiled at the ladies, giving them their orders and receiving the small money they gave me apart from what they had to pay, telling me I was such a cute little girl and they were expectant to see me again there. The money I got I went to put it on a jar my parents had gotten me from an idea of my mom as she supposed I would get some of the money the clients gave.

When I got a small break I went to sit down near the tables where some old men and others young were busy playing Pai-Sho, I watched intently trying to see what moves they were making and trying to remember the few moves I knew by memory and also make sense of all the others they were doing to try see if that way I could teach myself how to play. But it seemed learning by sight wasn't my thing as I didn't understand why they moved this piece there or to the other side.

One of the men I the nearest table looked up and saw me watching the game, he smiled and motioned me forward catching the attention of his companion that was a younger man, maybe around his 20's. I went forward, kinda nervous thinking he'd ask me why I was watching and I'd need to explain myself. None of that, he patted the seat next to him and after I sat down he introduced himself and his companion, and I nodded politely at them "Tell me child, you know how to play?" I blinked surprised and shook my head "Not really sir, I was once teached some moves but never taught how to play, and it's been years since I could get near the game"

He looked back at his companion and both seemed to be having a silent conversation, soon his companion nodded and smiled, looking at me "Would you like to learn?" My eyes widened and I smiled, nodding happily and excited as I would finally learn how to play and get a good use for the moves I knew.

I spent the next hour or so watching and learning how to play and the different moves, all mostly basics of course as both told me that after I dominated this I could move on and begin learning more complex moves. Then after that hour I finally began playing for more practice and some of the others players in the multiple tables we had in the shop came over and either watched me learn or played with me to give me several tips. Many of them that were old men –for some reason it seems most of the players were of advanced age, I still don't understand why- and were happy to see that a young child was learning as they saw it as a window for a new generation of players to be born.

By the end of the day I was very happy and tolerated very well the many people that were over me saying I was so pretty and giving compliments to my parents for having such a nice little girl as help in the shop, many saying they'd come more often as I had given them such a good impression. I think the best moment was when I learned to play and maybe also when I finally got home and washed my face to get off the make-up and finally let down my hair, rubbing the back of my head as it hurt from having the buns there all afternoon. My parents told me they were proud of me and that along with my education I'd have a sort of "job" in the shop for when I needed, and it sounded very nice as I could continue learning how to play.

All in all, the day wasn't that bad. I enjoyed myself, learnt new things and built up the tolerance that would help me more in the future for people that only cared for the appearances and treated other bad just for it. You find people like that all the time and by the time it was a serious situation when I needed to have a good way of speaking with them to get what I needed I would be able to get by easily and always thank my parents for it.

Even though, each day I wondered if maybe I would still have learned all this if I had stayed back with my mother. Maybe, I guess, but knowing how my mom is/was she would have showed how to ignore them royally and scare them off with a look and get what I need another way. It would be fun to watch her teach me that, but I knew that sadly I would never learn it really due to the decision I made; still I couldn't regret it fully.

Now that I think so, there was one thing that got me worried also during the day but I hadn't been able to develop more on it as many people were blocking my way and I had things to do in the shop with my parents. Seeing the day was over and I had time I crossed the small street till getting to the wall in there and looking at big piece of parchment that had written in big letters "MISSING" at the top, to then show a pic or drawing of the person they were looking for, with the phrase: "The girl is the Fire Nation Princess, any information please contact the few soldiers of the Nation that will stay in the decks".

I raised an eyebrow when reading that as I didn't remember hearing anything about a princess when I was back home but then again, I didn't go out much and tended to not hear what many people were saying. The date of the parchment marked it about 3 years ago, maybe a month or two after I left my home. It was strange, but I had shrugged it off thinking that anything could have happened and it was just a coincidence. I was about to turn around and leave when I looked closely to the pic that was in the parchment, trying to see what the girl looked like as maybe I had seen her around the few times I was out. Though I almost fainted and fell down to the floor when looking at the pic, I swear I went even paler than what was my normal skin color and I was short of breath. The reason of this was that the pic in there was ME. The pic was one of the few my mother had made of me, stating she wanted to have something to remember me when little. What I couldn't put together was why MY pic was in a place where the sentences said the girl was the Fire Nation Princess. I mean, I knew my mom was kinda dating the Firelord but…. ME as the princess?

I shook my head and got away from it in case someone noticed the similar features between the girl in the parchment and me, though it would be difficult seeing it had been 3 years and I had changed. During that night I couldn't sleep, I was very nervous about what I had seen and tried to convince myself that probably my mom had been very worried for me or had gotten a strange idea with her "boyfriend" that it would work getting together and put me as the princess. Just the thought of it being true, of me being really the Princess scared me out of my soul. I couldn't fathom how my life would be if that was true and I was found in here, I would first of all be in great trouble for running away.

Finally, a bit before dawn I managed to calm down thinking that I was overreacting and it was a crazy idea that I was the Princess by birth and probably it was mom's doing or the girl looked similar to me and I was making up things due to being kinda paranoid of possibly being found. I wasn't the Princess and nothing would happen to me, no one would try relate me to the girl in there and I would lead my own life happily. Thinking the past would never catch up on me and I would be able to forget about all this confusion I had with the Princess thing.

How wrong I was… No matter how long it takes… the past ALWAYS catches up to you and gives you the weirdest situations when you find out something you never knew could be true. You can be in denial all you want, but the truth wastes no time coming out and showing you what is the reality of the situation.

**Note: sooo what did you think?! Like it, love it, hate it? Tell me in reviews please! It helps keep my mood up and keep writing. If you got any supportive critics to tell me go ahead as I'm always ready to learn more while writing.**

**Also thanks to my best friend Sissy, aka SissyFaith-I-mstilaFoxDoh in FF, for giving me the names for Zaki's new family :D And also thanks to my "older sister" Norah, aka TheShadowsAlmostKilledTheLight on FF, for always being there for me and proof-reading the chapters before I post them.**

**Thanks girls YOU ROCK! And I love you tons 3**


End file.
